"I have invited Venezuela's current president (Delcy Rodriguez) to act jointly with us on this," Petro wrote on X, calling on her to help see drug gangs "defeated by our nations in unity."
On Wednesday, the leftist Petro agreed in a call with Trump to take "joint action" against the cocaine-smuggling guerrillas that operate along Colombia's border with Venezuela.
The call marked a sharp de-escalation after months of tensions between the two.
Trump said Friday that he had invited Petro to visit the White House in February.
Washington has previously accused Trump arch-critic Petro of drug trafficking over Colombia's mass production of cocaine.
Shortly after the US ouster of Venezuela's leftist leader Nicolas Maduro on Saturday Trump told Petro to "watch his ass."
Colombia and Venezuela share a porous 2,200-kilometer (1,370-mile) border where various armed groups vie for control of the profits from drug trafficking, illegal mining and smuggling.
Colombia's government said Petro asked Trump to help "strike hard" at his country's last major remaining rebel group, the National Liberation Army, which has rear bases inside Venezuela.
Petro's Defense Minister Pedro Sanchez said he would hold a virtual meeting on Friday with the US Department of Defense in order to have the country's main guerrilla groups declared "high-value common targets."
Speaking to Colombia's W radio, he said the declaration was a necessary step towards being able to "reduce these drug cartels to the bare minimum," with the help of US technology.
On Thursday, Trump told Fox News that Washington was "going to start now hitting land with regard to the cartels."
He did not say where but complained that cartels were "running Mexico."
Venezuela's furious street forces ready to 'fight' after US raid
Caracas (AFP) Jan 10, 2026 - When explosions boomed in the night and US warplanes roared in the sky over Caracas, Jorge Suarez and his companions rushed fearfully for their guns.
For these members of the "colectivos" -- armed loyalists of the leftist leadership -- the US raid that ousted Nicolas Maduro as their president was the most dramatic challenge yet.
"We're not used to it -- it was like a best-seller, like something out of a movie," said Suarez, in black sunglasses and a cap bearing the slogan: "Doubt is treason."
"We took to the streets, waiting for instructions from our leaders."
As proud defenders of the Venezuelan leadership's socialist "Bolivarian revolution," the ousting of Maduro has left them furious and bewildered, convinced that he was betrayed by close allies.
"There is frustration, anger and a will to fight," said a 43-year-old member of one collective the Boina Roja -- which translates to Red Beret -- who identified himself only as Willians, in a black cap and hooded jacket.
"It's still not really clear what happened...What is clear is that there were many betrayals," he added -- pointing to implausible failures in Maduro's defenses.
"We don't understand how the anti-aircraft system failed. We don't know what happened with the rocket-launch system."
- Policing the transition -
Established in their current form under Maduro's predecessor Hugo Chavez, the colectivos are tasked with keeping social order on the streets -- but accused by opponents of beating and intimidating rivals.
They have closed ranks behind Delcy Rodriguez, Maduro's former deputy who took over as interim president.
She has pledged to cooperate with US President Donald Trump over his demand for access to Venezuela's huge oil reserves -- but has insisted the country is not "subordinate" to Washington.
Willians said the colectivos were resisting certain post-Maduro narratives, which he dismissed as mind games -- such as "that Trump might bomb again, or that Delcy Rodriguez is with the United States."
They respect her ideological pedigree -- Rodriguez is the daughter of a far-left militant who died in the custody of the intelligence services in 1976.
"I don't think anyone would betray her father," said Alfredo Canchica, leader of another collective, the Fundacion 3 Raices.
"You can betray the people, but not your father."
Colectivo members declined to be drawn out on how the post-Maduro phase might play out under Trump and Rodriguez, however.
"We don't believe the threats that the Americans are going to come, dig in and take us out," said Canchica.
"They'll have to kill us first."
- Maduro 'betrayed' -
Feared by opponents as a rifle-wielding, motorbike-mounted shock force, the colectivos are welcomed in some neighborhoods where they are credited with preventing crime -- and where authorities hand out subsidized food parcels.
Speaking at the Chato Candela baseball stadium in the working-class 23 de Enero district, Canchica rejected the negative image they have gained.
When opposition demonstrators and some world powers were accusing Maduro of stealing an election in July 2014, "we stopped the shantytowns from rising up," he said.
The colectivos also claim to run sports programs, coordinate with hospitals and transport networks, and visit traders to keep price speculation in check.
Fiercely committed to the "Chavista" cause, they felt the sting of betrayal in Maduro's capture.
"The betrayal must have come from someone very close to our commander" Maduro, said Canchica.
"It was so perfect we didn't notice, and we still don't know who betrayed us, how they betrayed us -- it happened so fast."
In his office with images of independence hero Simon Bolivar, Chavez and Maduro on the wall, and books, bullets and a sound-wave bomb on the table, Suarez bitterly recalled watching animated reconstructions of Maduro's capture published online.
"It makes you angry," he said.
"Despite all the support Commander (Vladimir) Putin, China and North Korea have given us militarily, how can we react in real time when (the US) has more advanced technology than we do?"
Related Links
21st Century Pirates
| Subscribe Free To Our Daily Newsletters |
| Subscribe Free To Our Daily Newsletters |
